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Thursday, July 31, 2014

A couple of months ago a friend of mine asked me to help out with a school project - the task was to create a series of portraits that would recall literary characters.

As a big fan ofSexus, I immediately thought of Henry Miller's second wife and muse, June.

I know every teenage girl reading Anaïs Nin's diaries has been dreaming of resembling her with her mysterious, irresistible charm and the talent of arousing that uncontrollable desire in both men and women.

I don't claim to bare much resemblance to her- for some reason I always identified with Miller's character more, especially since in the books Mara or Mona as she is referred to was a dark-haired beauty. However, she is described of having Romanian roots which is an interesting detail for me.

But what strikes me most is Henry Miller's description of her clothes- the fit, the fabrics... I remember reading in Plexus how they were always broke and hungry but somehow she was always indulging him in nice things - silk robes, satin slippers, peacock feathers.

Maybe it's part of being a vintage collector and finding rare gems in forgotten 1 dollar bins, but I can perfectly relate to that description. Not to mention my love for silk in general.

So this was a very loose interpretation - I used my vintage kimono, my favorite silk slip dress and this amazing other 80s silk dress I found, which after having the shoulder pads removed and unbuttoned all the way resembles a 20s house robe. Or an Osei Duro creation.

I also chose a very natural look, with a vague 30s updo.

Having finally watched Philip Kaufman's Henry&June recently, picturing her as a blonde made even more sense.

I went for a natural setting in lieu of trying to recreate a 1930s interior; first the lighting was superb and the tall grass in May looked very much unreal. It was also a tribute to their first Central Park love making in the grass episode.

So here is my take on 1920s-30s Bohemiaand I think those photos shot on film capture some of that atmosphere.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

I've slowly been adding a few things here and there, but didn't really have time for a full, coherent collection.

This new selection of things is pretty much spot on summer dream wardrobe : breezy fit and flare dresses, full swingy skirts, a few cute blouses and the best pairs of denim for those rainy July days we still seem to get now and again. Including the ultimate Jane Birkin 70s flares.

Paired with sandals and variations on straw boater hats, they're perfect for the warm weather insouciance of picnics and outdoor night movie watching.

Just easy stylish things you can throw on in a heartbeat, spend all day walking in and still look gorgeous with that French I-just-woke-up-like-this attitude. Oh, and don't forget your red lipstick!
And Parisian's best kept secret for a fresh look in the summer heat - the eau thermale Vichy/Uriage/Evian misting spray.

And now all these beauties are up in the shop. These babies will not last too long!

Sunday, July 13, 2014

The photo above is from La fille du 14 juillet, a French comedy released last year; it's a quirky road movie that feels like 60s Godard. Definitely worth checking out!

It's time to celebrate the French National holiday again - which usually means ... fireworks! People started setting off small fireworks and firecrackers since yesterday in my neighborhood. But the big light show take place tonight at Trocadero, near the Eiffel Tower. It is pretty impressive.

This year we're particularly lucky with the long weekend.

So here is our annual Bastille Day SALE! 20% off your purchase with the code bastille20 at checkout; ends 16/07.

Quelques mots sur moi...

Art student/cinephile/DJ and vintage connoisseur.
This blog is all about living and loving in Paris and all those other little things that quicken the heart.
Expect a lot of vintage treasures and geeking out about cinema, mostly.